Assam: Due to budget cuts and increased raw material prices, durga puja artisans there face grim prospects

At his studio in the Pandu area, 67-year-old artisan Tapas Pal moulds clay with ease to create divine figures, but budget cuts—following two years of the COVID-19 crisis—are demoralising him and his fellow idol-makers. Pal is concerned that despite rising raw material prices, a labour scarcity, and numerous organisers cutting back on spending, business may not rebound this year either.

"Due to the lockdown brought on by the pandemic, we had to endure great hardships in the last two years. Our income was negatively impacted by the administration's order to celebrate with little Durga idols last year "Pal said to PTI. The cost of raw materials, including clay, hay, wood, and even costumes and jewellery, has increased dramatically since the pandemic, but the organising committees are unwilling to pay more, he complained.

In order to ensure that the idols of Goddess Durga and her companions are created on time and delivered to various pandals, artisans in the potters' colony in the western part of the city are still working through the night. Kanchan Pal, the 37-year-old son of Pal, claimed that because some of the organisers placed orders very late, "we had to make last-minute purchases, which significantly impacted our profit margins." The father-and-son team only hired 19 "karigars" this year, which is less than they did in the days prior to the pandemic.

"When we are unsure of our own earnings, how are we supposed to pay employees their wages? We won't have much left over after paying for the cost of the raw materials and wages "The idol-maker, aged 67, stated. Previously, some expensive idols could sell for up to Rs 1 lakh each, but this year, the senior Pal remarked, "we will be happy if we get something in the range of Rs 50,000."

He noted that sporadic rain last month had made things worse. The ability of the artists to paint the idols only occurs when the clay has dried completely, therefore the weather has a significant impact on the idol-making process. The only female idol maker in the city, 32-year-old Dipika Pal, is seen working on the goddess' hands in a nearby workshop. She added, "Usually, women in the family don't make idols, but once my father passed away, I had to start making them to help my mother and sisters. Dipika's father did not instruct her in the craft; instead, she learned it from other artists, notably her husband Dilip Das, who she shares management of a workshop with.

"My family did not object, but I had to put up with rude comments from the neighbours. Since I was aware that this was the only option to make a livelihood, I paid them little attention "She spoke. She claimed that the prior two years "nearly shattered the backbone of the community" and that this year's orders are also fewer in quantity. "There was no work during the lockdown, so many 'karigars' (artisans) had to find new sources of revenue; some even turned to selling vegetables," Dipika continued. Craftsmen are hard at work putting the last touches on the idols for the expensive Rest Camp Kalibari Puja, which is being held for the 74th time.

According to Tapas Naha, a member of the organising committee, "Our budget is minimal this year as we aim to conduct great celebrations next year on the occasion of the 75th anniversary." However, the Santipur Puja Committee is making an exception because it wants to "uplift the morale of people" with its grand celebrations following the protracted COVID slump. To erect the pandal, the group brought painters from Bengal. "This time, we wanted to make the yearly visit of Goddess Durga to her home on earth a big occasion. In order to create the idols and construct the pandal, we have employed top Bengali artists "Kamal Das was a committee member added.

(source : PTI)